


I've been upside down (I don't want to be the right way round)

by kindoflike



Series: Oh won't you be my livewire [2]
Category: Pitch Perfect (Movies)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-24
Updated: 2015-06-27
Packaged: 2018-04-05 21:58:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4196448
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kindoflike/pseuds/kindoflike
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>One night, Chloe rings her over Skype. </p><p>It catches her off guard. It’s only been 2 weeks since she’s seen that face but she’s so, so tired and Chloe is so, so beautiful. </p><p>Those things aren’t related. But then again, they probably are.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> kind of a collection of snippets.

\--

“So it turns out I failed Russian lit. Looks like you’re stuck with me for another year’. 

Chloe winks and smiles far too wide for someone who has to repeat a whole nother year of college and student loans. Her eyes are doing that thing where they, like, twinkle and Beca thinks that another year of such things wouldn’t be the worst thing, ever. 

 

\--  
“And for a second time the winners are….the Barden Bellas!” 

With bodies pressing and limbs flailing and the announcers voice ringing their victory in their ears, 

Chloe’s grin bumps briefly against Becas. 

She had just missed her cheek in all the excitement. It’s nothing. 

 

\--

Exams are over and graduation rolls around again and Chloe just mentions it between delicate bites of a blueberry muffin. 

“Not graduating. Failed Russian lit, again.’ 

Beca tries not to think about how her shoulders unwind, how that night she sleeps better than she has in weeks. 

 

\--  
Third time round and Beca can’t help but ask 

“Are your parents like, mad at you? For failing?’ 

Chloe just blinks at her. 

“We’ve won three national titles, Beca.’ 

“Yeah but that’s like…that’s acapella.’ 

Chloe’s brow just furrows deeper. 

“So?’ 

Beca just shrugs. Lets it be. It’s not like she wants Chloe to leave, anyway. 

 

\--

Jesse doesn’t pick up, is sleeping, when Beca just really, really needs him. 

That’ll probably only get worse, with time differences and busy schedules to account for. 

 

\--

It takes a bear trap and a camp fire for her to just admit to herself that it’s going to have to hurt when this is all over. 

 

\--

Watching Amy singing to Bumper is equal parts hilarious and heart-warming...and then at the end there it just gets a bit gross. 

Say what you want about her methods, but Amy is the bravest person Beca knows. 

 

\--

She wanders into Chloe’s room, looking for her blue striped t-shirt. She finds Chloe standing at the bed packing her bag.

Before Beca says anything, Chloe turns and throws the blue striped t-shirt across the room. 

It hits her in the head and Chloe’s laugh fills the room. 

\--

So they win Worlds. 

The after party is the craziest night of her life, hands down. 

Aubrey takes them to a club 

“You think I’d come all the way to Copenhagen without doing relevant research?’

and the music is loud and they are all here, still in their costumes and Jesse is here too, for christs sake and they’ve graduated and everything is going to plan. 

They won. They won. They actually won. 

Beca feels arms wrap around her shoulders and Jesse is standing next to her trying to order drinks despite the language barrier so it must be- Chloe whispers into her ear 

“I’m really glad I met you’ 

and the hot breathy laugh that follows tickles her ear. 

Beca stands kind of rooted to the spot before she feels a kiss pressed to her cheek and the arms pull away. She’s given a playful tap on the back of her jeans and then Chloe is suddenly on the dance floor with Stacie and Amy and then the masses of people sweep her away until Beca can’t even see her red hair anymore. 

Jesse hands her a drink and Bella gulps it down, fast. 

Moving to L.A is tomorrows problem. Leaving Chloe behind is tomorrow’s problem. 

\--

The flight home from Copenhagen is long and everyone is hungover. 

Beca tries to sleep but can't. Just can't. 

\--

Chloe moves into an apartment after getting a job as a Music teacher at the local primary school. Beca has everything packed and a job lined up in L.A, a fantastic reference from Residual Heat and the number of a producer excited to hear her mixes of Emily’s songs that sit tucked in a special playlist in her phone. The day before she flies out, she visits Chloe at her new place. 

“A Plant?’ 

“Uhh, yeah. Its apparently traditional.’ 

“Traditional?” 

“Yeah, for when people move into a new house. Like a traditional house warming gift. So…I thought why mess with, uh, tradition.’ 

“It’s lovely, Beca. I don't know the first thing about Plant care but it’s lovely.’ 

“The guy at the shop said this one was low maintenance. Totally compatible for women with busy teaching schedules, I was assured.’ 

“Well then, you think of everything don’t you Mitchell.’ 

“Not everything. Just…’

“Beca its lovely. Really, thank you.’ 

“It’s nothing, really, it’s a bit stupid- 

“You know that it’s customary to say ‘You’re welcome’

“Hmm, okay. I’ve never heard that one before but I’ll take your word for it.” 

“Good. Now, come and help me find the perfect place for Mr Plant.’ 

“Mr Plant? C’mon, surely we can come up with something better than that.’ 

“I’m sure we can, too. Never hurts to see how things roll off the tongue. But don’t worry, we’ve got a whole day.’ 

“That we do.’ 

\--

Some things end like this:

“Take care, Beca’ 

“You too, Jesse’ 

 

\--

She’s been in L.A for 6 weeks. She’s been busier than busier and things are finally settling into a routine. 

One night, Chloe rings her over Skype. 

It catches her off guard.  
It’s only been 2 weeks since she’s seen that face but she’s so, so tired and Chloe is so, so beautiful. 

Those things aren’t related. But then again, they probably are.  
\--

 

Beca wakes up and her head is pounding. Her throat is dry and her face feels greasy and the light streaming in through the crack between the two blinds is hurting her eyes. 

She’d been out with two guys from the record company, two sound mixers who’d been nice to her on her first day and everyday after that and so she’d probably call them friends, now. 

They’d gone to a bar and then a club and there had been VIP passes handed over somewhere and drinks, drinks, drinks and Beca vaguely remembers singing Celine Dion to her cab driver on the way home, his face caught between amusement and discomfort. 

But now her head is pounding and her throat is dry. 

She takes a shower and boils some water for coffee and starts to feel a bit more like she can distinguish up from down and left from right. 

Idly, she checks her phone and, oh, fuck. 

From Chloe: 

‘Thanks for the drunk dial last night Mitchell. Glad to hear you are staying classy in L.A – I love me some Celine!’ 

She remembers, now, calling Chloe when the Cab driver had begged her to stop with his eyes and yep, there had been singing and laughing and Chloe’s sleepy voice had made her say-

But Chloe hadn’t mentioned it, probably hadn’t heard it. It’s nothing, Beca was so drunk, after all. 

 

\--  
_You’re gonna miss me when I’m gone_

Beca has sung it what feels like a thousand times

 _You’re gonna miss me when I’m gone_

Sounded pretty then, with bang beats of a cup or campfire harmonies. But there's nothing pretty about missing people... nothing pretty about it at all. 

\--

Things are going well. Beca knows her way around L.A, which basically means knowing which roads to avoid and her and her dad are on insanely better terms, she even talked to Sheila on the phone for 5 minutes without a hitch. Plus, There are talks of putting together an EP and doing some live DJ sets. So, things are going really well. 

Beca doesn't think she should have to tell herself that so many times, if it were entirely true.

\--

Beca wakes up after dreams of red hair and blue eyes and finally just lets herself say it to herself, in the shower one morning. 

The words are swallowed up by the sound of the rushing water but they ring loud in Beca’s ears. 

Words like love are hard to wrap her mouth around but they are, unfortunately, the only words that makes sense of the way her chest aches.


	2. Chapter 2

\--  
Chloe loves her work. 

Each day, she sees kids light up and she knows that it’s her, her and music, of course, that is making it happen. It makes her feel useful, makes her feel part of something, makes leaving behind her life of the last 7 years as easy as can be. 

The kids are so sweet, mostly, although there’s this one little ratbag called Jennifer whose an absolute terror but Chloe thinks she’s downright hilarious. 

She’s good at her job, too. Spends hours arranging songs that the kids will like, spends hours coming up with ways to hide the fact that Ben’s voice is shocking – turns out he’s very good at bashing things so begins the beginning of his drumming career, spends hours marking written work and other teacherly things. 

Chloe loves her work, definitely, but that doesn't mean she doesn’t miss Barden. Doesn’t mean she doesn’t miss the life she used to have, either. 

\-- 

Beca sounds tired. She looks tired, too, and Chloe wonders if success just means having someone to cover the dark circles under your eyes. 

 

\--

‘Chloe?’ 

“Yeah?’

“Did I wake you?’ 

“You should’ve but actually no. I’m still up trying to understand what the hell this kid is on about.’ 

‘So I’ve interrupted a wild night?’ 

“Oh yeah, ask these kids ‘What does music mean to them?’ and you either get poetry or absolute rubbish. I mean writing ‘The thing that comes out of an Ipod’ is not wrong, exactly but…” 

“Dude that kid knows whats up. None of this ‘bringing people together’ bullshit. Just soundwaves.’ 

“I hope that this doesn't mean the future undermining of the industry you are currently cracking.’ 

“Just puts things in perspective, really. Speaking of nearly cracking…’ 

And so Beca rambles on about some dumb thing some guy did today at the studio. Chloe can’t help but notice the aimlessness of it all, because Beca usually makes up an excuse for calling, like “I just wanted to ask your opinion on this song combination or I just wanted to check that Stacie doesn't have herpes or that Lilly isn’t in prison’ but Beca doesn’t bother this time round. 

Chloe goes to bed hours later letting herself believe that what Beca meant to say is: ‘I just wanted to hear your voice’ 

 

\--

Summer comes and Chloe has 3 months off work. 

It takes her the drive home to decide how to spend it. 

\-- 

 

“You’re coming to L.A?’ 

“Yeah, I need a holiday and there’s this chick I used to know from College who lives there. She’s like a hot shot music producer and I’m pretty sure she’ll let me stay with her.’ 

“Oh really? In her Pent house apartment with stunning views that she definitely, totally has?’ 

“Yeah, exactly! Do you know her? Her name is Becky Michaels.’

“Hmmm, it sounds familiar. I’ll have to look her up. But, if things doesn’t work out with her then you know you are always welcome at my humble abode.’ 

‘Well, we’ll see how things go’ 

\--

When Chloe is nervous, she chats. 

By the time the flight touches down in L.A, Chloe knows pretty much everything about Bill Tucker, the business man on her left side and Gracie Jenkins, the aspiring actress on her right side. 

When she reaches Baggage claim, she spots Beca standing there awkwardly as ever and then Chloe is running and wrapping Beca up in her arms and Beca is hugging her back, hard, and it all makes the nerves evaporate entirely. 

 

\--

The first night, they go out and they drink and drink and they dance and Beca introduces Chloe to her work friends and they are all so, so cool and Chloe is just so, so proud. 

\--

The second night, they stay in and Beca shows Chloe some of her new mixes and they are excellent, as always and they order Pizza and watch a movie. 

Chloe goes looking for desert and the only thing she finds in Beca’s entire kitchen is a jar of peanut butter and so after copious amounts of reprimanding Beca for not keeping up with a balanced nutritional meal plan, Chloe convinces Beca to take her out for ice cream. 

Chloe gets raspberry and Beca gets chocolate chip and Chloe licks some chocolate off Beca’s nose and waits for the her ‘dude that's gross’

But Beca just plunges her finger into the top of Chloe’s ice cream in return. 

 

\--

The third night, everything changes. 

Chloe comes into the house, arms laden with bags from her day spent shopping and finds Beca is sitting at her computer messing around with a new song Emily sent her. 

“Go on then, show me what you bought’ 

Chloe can’t help but let out a squeal and she rushes into the bathroom to put on the absolute cutest sundress she found on sale. 

When she comes out, she does a twirl and looks expectantly at Beca. 

She expects a comment about how surely she has enough sun dresses or something but instead a few seconds pass and then Beca sighs 

"You're so beautiful.' 

Chloe is taken aback and so she jokingly nods

"… I’m pretty confident about all of this’ 

Beca’s eyes, usually filled to the brim with mirth, are fierce when she says

“Chloe, You are the most...the most beautiful thing.' 

It is the most serious Chloe has ever seen her, her usually wry lips set in a firm line and her usually about-to-be-rolled eyes wide and dark, and it makes the playful smile fade from her own lips. It makes her stomach bottom out, makes her chest ache, makes her palms tingle. 

There is a silent moment where neither of them move, just hold each others gaze. And then, because she's been making the first move as long as they've known each other, Chloe crosses the space between them. 

It takes her two or three steps and it all kind of happens in one motion: she takes Beca’s face in both of her hands and Beca’s lips meet her halfway. 

There is a moment, just lips pressing onto lips, before, and Chloe wouldn’t be able to tell you whose to blame, lips part and hands move and all of a sudden they are pushing and pulling against each other and everything in Chloe’s mind disappears until it's just Beca’s lips and Beca’s hands and _finally_ echoes in her ears. 

\-- 

They kiss for a long, long time and then they talk about it. 

“I’ve always known, Chlo. I’m just…a fucking idiot.’ 

Chloe can kiss those words away, now, and it feels like flying. 

 

\--

The best part is that almost nothing changes. Being with Beca is still as easy as breathing. 

(The clock is ticking, though) 

 

\--  
They talk about _it_ : 

'Haven't you done it before?' 

"What? No. I-I actually haven't. I mean not with a girl, obviously. 

"Obviously.' 

"Shut up.' 

"Well, I guess we'll just...figure it out as we go'

'How romantic.' 

"You say that like up until now you've been wooing me.' 

"Okay, first of all, no one under 60 says wooing, second of all, I am charming as fuck and you-

"Sure, Beca. Whatever helps you sleep at night.' 

"Well, you do." 

"Was that supposed to be charming? Cause that kind of sounded like I was boring you.' 

'How about this - I've never slept with a girl before but just the idea of being with you, like that, makes me-' 

"That's better, definitely.' 

“I hadn't finished, I was about to tell you how I want to kiss your-" 

"Alright, alright.” 

"Okay, okay, so no dirty talk? It is better to find this stuff out sooner rather than later'

"I thought you were supposed to be charming me." 

'Right, right. Where was I? Chloe your eyes are like... the sea and your hair is like... I dont know, something red, obviously… The sun? No, Oh, Sunset! Your hair is like sunset and...

"Oh please, do continue" 

"I'm just trying to think of a poetic way to say you have a great rack but all that's coming to mind are different types of fruit, so' 

'Well then, consider me wooed.' 

“Ha! I Win!” 

“Yep, there were a lot of people competing so you should be very proud.' 

"Gee wiz!' 

“Okay, mood officially ruined. Also wooing is in no way more dated than Gee Wiz' 

“Wait, so there was a mood being...created?

“I'm not going to lie, I do like it when you shower me with compliments.' 

“And I love talking about your boobs...I think this is going to work out, Beale.' 

“It might just.” 

\--

 

A few days later Chloe is stood over the stove with an apron on cooking a vegetable stir fry, because hello she has a lot of time and nutritional content to make up for, when she hears the door slam and the faint sound of Beca grumbling about people being dumb at work. 

She turns around when she hears Beca come into the kitchen. 

Beca’s face, which was all twisted and kind of disgruntled, shifts when she registers the scene in the kitchen. Chloe barely has time to say ‘hey’ before Beca strides over to the stove top and turns the heat off and Chloe doesn’t get a chance to ask what is going on because Beca pushes her against the counter and kisses her hot and fast. 

Beca being this forward is making Chloe go faint and her stomach twinges when Beca starts to kiss her neck and untie her apron. 

The last thing Chloe thinks is that nutrition can wait, for now. 

\--

They have sex on the kitchen floor and in the shower and on the couch and obviously in the bed a number of times and in Chloe’s humble opinion they get very, very good at it. 

\--

But Chloe has to go home sometime. 

Jennifer is still a terror and Ben still needs someone to count him in and moving to L.A to be with a girl is almost as stupid as failing Russian lit three times to ensure victory in a collegiate Accapella competition. 

\--

It’s the night before Chloe flies back: 

“When will we next see each other?’ 

“Well, I could take some time off in…6 months, maybe 5?’ 

“That’s a long time.’ 

“Yeah.’ 

There is a heavy moment and then Beca bites her lip 

“What is your policy on nudes?’ 

and Chloe laughs so hard her stomach hurts. 

\--

This time when they leave each other, they hold each other close and Beca kisses her soft and everything is so different and everything is so good. 

\--


	3. Chapter 3

\--

It was only 2 and a half months but now Beca’s pillow looks so entirely wrong without red hair splayed all over it. 

\--

Sometimes, Beca thinks she dreamed the whole thing. 

But then Chloe will call her and talk dirtily into her ear and despite Beca’s jokes, Chloe is a thousand times better at it than she is; she can barely get words out, just gets all hot and flustered. That twinge in her stomach and that tug between her ribs as Chloe giggles crackle in her ear…well, it's the realest thing she knows. 

\--

She knows for sure, that this is real, when No Caller ID lights up her phone. 

“Hello Aubrey’ 

“Wait, how did you know it was me. I always block my number for security reasons.’ 

‘And you are the only one who does that…so’ 

“I see, well.’ 

“How are you?’ 

“Very well. Only three bear sightings this season and we are booked to the brim.’ 

“That’s good to hear.’ 

“So, Beca. Lets cut straight to the chase..’

“Okay, then.’ 

“What do you think you are doing with Chloe?’ 

“Um, what?’ 

“She tells me you two are, hmm, how did she put it ‘kind of a thing now’ and I just don’t understand what you are trying to achieve here.’ 

“I guess just…being a thing? That’d be the goal, I suppose.’ 

“But you are in L.A’ 

‘Yes, Aubrey, I am well aware of that.’ 

“And she is in Atlanta, saving children’s lives might I add.’ 

“These are all true facts.’ 

“Beca. What I’m trying to say here is that the current state of affairs are not optimal.’ 

Beca sighs. 

“I know that Aubrey. Trust me, I know that better than anyone. We’re just…it’s still very new and so...we’re just seeing how things go.’

Aubrey is silent, actually and then

“Okay Beca. I sincerely pray you don’t screw this up or else I will not hesitate to employ a pack of wolves to rip out your vocal chords.’ 

“Sounds entirely fair, Aubrey. Always lovely to hear from you.’ 

 

\--  
Chloe sends her soundbites of the kids singing and Beca actually considers putting it into a mix. 

If only for an excuse for the way she takes serious time out of her working day to listen to the last 5 seconds at the end, when Chloe laughs and says 

“Now everyone say a big aca-hello to my girlfriend Beca’ 

followed by a chorus of 

‘Hello Beca!’ 

 

\--

It’s 11am on a Tuesday morning when Chloe calls her 

“So I have big news.’ 

“Hit me.’ 

“I’m going to become a mother’ 

“Uh….Chlo, have you...have you been cheating on me because last time I checked that’s not…that's not biologically, like, a thing?’ 

“Calm down, Beca. It’s not a human baby, it’s a puppy!’ 

‘Dude, why didn’t you open with that?’ 

“Because you know I like your im-freaking-out-but-trying-to-downplay-it voice. Now, we have important business to discuss. I really think we should arrange a weekly skype call between you and the puppy because I’ve heard that children can get really messed up if they don’t get attention from both parents.’ 

“In my experience, that is very true.’ 

“Right? I don't want my baby to go and get god knows what pierced in a desperate cry for attention from her aloof music producer mother. Think of what the other parents will say!’ 

“It’d be a travesty, surely.’ 

Chloe laughs, launches into her page long list about possible dog names and all the dog equipment she’s going to buy and promises to send roughly 8 billion photos once it’s settled in at home and, not for the first time, Beca considers just saying screw it and jumping on a fucking plane.

She’s finally got the girl and yet, here she is, apparently about to co-parent a dog from thousands of miles away. It's making less and less sense to her as the days go by. 

 

\--  
Her EP drops. She’s stuck in traffic one day with the radio on and suddenly, she hears her name and Emily’s vocals flood the car. She turns it up so loud that her beats, fuck they are her beats, make the dashboard shake. 

It feels amazing, fantastic, unreal. Like 3 national titles combined and then some. 

And yet, when her phone rings 45 seconds later and she hears Chloe screaming excitedly in her ear, it puts every other feeling to shame. 

\--

In celebration of her EP success, she gets the weekend off. 

She has barely hung up the phone with the label people when she opens a tab and books a flight. 

Success means getting to drop everything and go and kiss her lady, surely. 

 

\--

“So, you doing anything this weekend?’ 

“I’ve got to take Barden to doggy school. He keeps eating my shoes’ 

“Ah, I see. Are you free now, though?’ 

“Yeah, just got home from work….Why?’ 

“Oh no reason…’

“Bec, can you hold on one sec someones at the door.’ 

“I gotta go anyway’ 

“Kay, babe, talk soon!’ 

When Chloe opens the door, the phone clatters to the floor. 

\-- 

Beca hadn't forgotten the sound of Chloe sighs and gasps and moans, hadn't forgotten the feeling of Chloe's lips and hands or the tickle of Chloe's hair moving down her stomach, but it still blindsides her, how _much_ this all is.

\--

It takes quite a bit of convincing for Beca to even consider letting Chloe go long enough for her to leave the bed. 

So, when Chloe stands there in front of her, in an oversized tank top and nothing else, and tells Beca that she needs to get up and ready, too, Beca just blinks. 

“And why on earth would I want to do that?’ 

“Because we have to get Barden to school!’ 

“Wait, seriously? That’s how we are going to spend the day?’ 

“Bec I’ve had this appointment for weeks. They are best dog school in Atlanta and I want nothing less for my baby.’ 

“You are so weird.’ 

‘Hey, look at it this way. Either you stay in bed all by yourself or you come with me and pretend to hate it when I kiss you in public. Options, baby, you’ve got options.’ 

Beca’s groan of acceptance is drowned out by Chloe’s squeals of delight and that about sums them up. 

\--

They sit in the waiting room whilst Barden is taken for his ‘assessment’. 

Chloe is flipping through a mazagine, but her fingers tangle themselves with Beca’s. Beca is sending text after text through explaining that no, she’s not dead, that yes, she is in fact alive and that she’ll be at the record label bright and early Monday morning, with bells on.

“Barden misses you.’ 

“Oh yeah because the 5 minutes where you make him look at my face each Thursday have formed the basis of a really deep and meaningful relationship.’ 

‘Exactly.’ 

There is a beat and Beca can feel Chloe’s gaze and she has no choice but to meet it 

“I miss you too, you know’ 

Beca’s heart sighs and aches at the same time, because she is selfish and because Chloe’s eyes are so blue and earnest and - Beca thinks about that first day

_“Help us make our dreams a reality’_

Dreams were a much simpler thing back then. 

\--

As a reward for being such a good parent yesterday, Chloe declares Sunday an underwear only day. 

It goes really well, Beca thinks. Until the food they order arrives and Chloe just bounds to the door, forgetting of course..or maybe just doesn't care. Yeah, probably that. The delivery guy faints. 

 

\--  
Chloe insists on driving her to the airport. 

It’s insanely early, nearing 6am, and Chloe doesn’t get out of her pyjamas. 

But she still walks Beca all the way to the departure gate. 

“So, this is me.’ 

“Yep, I guess it is.’ 

Before Beca can say anything else 

“Bec, I just need you to know that I’m so proud of you. I can stand all this missing you, I can do that... because I’m just so proud’ 

Beca kisses her. She kisses her because she wants to and she kisses her because there’s nothing left to say.

\--


End file.
